Innocence
by foriamnottheone
Summary: Sora enlists in the military to fight against the ever growing Heartless. When he meets his squad leader, Riku, Sora unearths many secrets that could get him killed. RikuXSora AxelXRoxas M for later chapters and there will be some angst.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: **Sora enlists in the military to fight against the ever growing Heartless. When he meets his squad leader, Riku, Sora unearths many secrets that could get him killed. RikuXSora AxelXRoxas M for later chapters and there will be some angst.

**Author's Note: **I'm back! It's been a while since I've written a fanfic on here. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to put my other stories on hold since I will have to reread and see where I stopped. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter One**

Sora let the beads of sweat drip down his face. The final examination would be in a week and he had no time to take a break. He knew he would not graduate top of the class, but he had to graduate in the top fifteen. Nothing would get in his way.

His bright blue eyes scanned the room for any sign of movement. He readied his Keyblade and closed his eyes to enhance his hearing.

Without a second thought, he threw the Keyblade behind him. Sora was rewarded with a loud THUNK which caused a smile to appear on his face.

The lights in the large room brightened as a girl fell from behind a fake bush.

"Dammit Sora! You almost killed me!"

Sora walked over to the brunette with a goofy grin.

"Kairi, I knew I wouldn't hit you. Besides, if you would have let me hit you, you probably won't be graduating with a 'mastery' in Keyblade handling."

Kaira sighed and picked up her own Keyblade. She stared at it then looked at her best friend.

"Sora, I don't think I'm able to do this. I can hardly handle a basic Keyblade. How am I supposed to fight with specialized Keyblade? I'm not even averaging well with Strategy and Tactics. I'll be lucky if I graduate at all."

Sora summoned his blade and stabbed it into the ground next to him.

"We'll get through this, Kairi. You don't have to be a Keyblade Scout to be in the military. You're still passing last time I checked. Besides, do you really want to be in the Scouts? It's extremely dangerous. I don't see why you don't want to be a part of Guard instead?"

The girl shook her head and stared at the ground.

"I want to travel, Sora. I've always wanted to travel to other places no matter how overrun with Heartless."

Sora understood. He didn't want to be stuck in Traverse Town any more than she did. They had always talked about joining the military so they can get free tickets to travel the worlds.

"Well, let's call it a day. We'll practice more tomorrow," he said quietly as he made his Keyblade disappear.

The two walked back from the practice arena. A large growl came from Sora's stomach as they approached the cafeteria.

"Training always makes me feel like I haven't eaten in days," he joked.

Kairi and Sora sat down with their tray of food when a blond girl joined them.

"Namine! Where have you been? Surely not studying. You're already at the top of the class."

Namine laughed and pulled out a book that weighed ten pounds.

"You know I have to keep this up or Aqua will beat me. She's already at the top of the class in Keyblade handling."

The other two nodded. They knew Aqua would make a serious soldier with her physical and mental abilities. No one liked competing with her.

"Namine, will you help me study? I don't even know where to begin."

The blond smiled and nodded at her sister.

"Of course. I'm going to get you ahead of Sora in Strategy and History. I'll make it my duty."

xXxXx

Sora found it hard to swallow. Nerves soared through his entire body.

_Okay, just calm down. You can't do anything with your hands shaking._

This was the final exam. Most trainees failed at the Practical. He had managed to pass the written with a higher grade than he thought which put confidence in him. Unfortunately, he knew that was exactly why most failed.

Sora swung the Keyblade behind him. He knew the Heartless they used for the exam was difficult, even when it was just a hologram.

A large black hand reached for the spiky-haired trainee. He slashed at the hand, forcing it to recoil in pain. Sora knew he was almost dead.

Closing his eyes, Sora listened for the quiet movement.

He threw the Keyblade as hard as he could to his right, praying it made the final hit. When the lights turned on, he knew he was victorious.

A larger male walked through the large doors with his hands behind his back. Sora immediately went into attention and saluted to his superior.

"At ease. Congratulations, Sora. You will be graduating tomorrow. We will announce the scores during the ceremony along with the others."

Sora couldn't help but smile. The commander stuck out his hand to shake. Sora shook it and beamed, "I only did it from your help, Commander Strife."

The commander nodded and dismissed his student.

Sora ran out of the building to be greeted by his classmates.

"I passed!" he yelled as he jumped into the group.

Kairi laughed and replied, "Congrats! I did too! Barely, but I still passed! I hope they put me in the Scouts."

Namine rolled her eyes.

"I don't know why you are so eager to get yourself killed. Commander Leonheart promised that I would be in the Tactical Team."

Sora was more than confident with his scores. He knew he would be put in the Scouts. He just hoped, Kairi would be with him. They had managed to date for the entire year. He knew it would be difficult to continue if they split up, but he knew they would try.

xXxXx

All graduates stood in their flawless uniforms at attention. The head commander, Cid, had just finished the announcements.

Sora's heart was beating as he started to name the top fifteen in the class. Of course Aqua had been number one, Namine close behind her.

As Cid neared the end, Sora was beginning to feel disappointment.

"Number thirteen, Sora. Above Average in Strategy and History. Mastery in Keyblade Handling. You will be in the Keyblade Scouts. Squad 24 with Captain Riku."

He couldn't keep back a wide grin.

_I did it! I actually graduated in the top fifteen! I got a mastery in Handling! _

The graduation seemed to last an eternity for Sora. He wanted to run over to Kairi and give her the biggest hug and kiss. However, when it ended and he caught up to Kairi, he knew something was wrong.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he stopped her from walking away.

She shook her head and muttered, "I didn't get in the top fifteen. I knew I wouldn't, but it is starting to hit me that we won't be in the same squad."

"So? It'll be okay. I'm not planning on dumping you. In fact, I was thinking how it might be best if we're not together all the time. I hear that's how a lot of tension between couples get started."

She nodded, dismissing the subject.

"Anyway, I'm proud of you. You're going to make a great soldier."

Kairi had been placed in Squad 16 of the Traverse Town Guard. Sora knew she would be disappointed, but was glad that she was in a safer position.

Sora was unable to fall asleep that night. Excitement crept through him. None of his classmates made it in the same squad, but he didn't care. Rumors had spread through the academy that Riku was an excellent captain and even better at using Keyblades, which meant Sora made it to one of the top squads of the year.

When the sun hit the horizon, Sora dressed in his uniform and walked towards the designated spot for new recruits. He looked around to see a soldier he knew. Ventus had been an old friend of his when they were younger. Sora walked over to him and was met with a hug.

"I'm glad we're in the same squad. It's been forever!"

Sora was about to reply, when Captain Riku showed up. The new soldiers went into attention, all excited to see what their first mission would be. His silver hair fell at his shoulders when he stopped in the middle.

"Congratulations on passing the exams. I'm Captain Riku. It's nice to see that only four of you made it into my squad. I hope you are all willing to give your life, because this squad has been assigned the front lines."

Fear swept through all four new recruits. Sora's eyes widened as he let the words flow through his head.

_Front lines? What have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

**End Note:** Thank you for reading! I hope you stay interested enough for the next chapter! The story will start to pick up in that chapter and it will be a little longer :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary: **Sora enlists in the military to fight against the ever growing Heartless. When he meets his squad leader, Riku, Sora unearths many secrets that could get him killed. RikuXSora AxelXRoxas M for later chapters and there will be some angst.

**Author's Note: **Thank you so much for reading! Lately, I've been replaying the first Kingdom Hearts on Final Mix Proud mode and boy is it tough! I like the challenge though lol. Also **TOWARDS THE END, IT GETS A LITTLE GRAPHIC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!**

* * *

**Chapter Two**

The new recruits were dismissed shortly after, but no one moved. Ventus looked as if he was going to faint. Sora could see the other two shake from nerves. He was just as scared. None had real field experience and even if they did, each battle was just as terrifying.

Once the shock passed, the recruits turned to one another.

"Well, I guess we should get to know our team. I'm Dilan."

Sora had to look up to see the large male. With his midnight hair tied tightly behind him, he shook everyone's hands. Sora noted the firm, yet controlled hand shake and knew Dilan's strength was impossible to match.

The only girl in the squad made a small bow and smiled.

"My name's Xion."

Ventus and Sora introduced themselves then all headed towards their new bunk house. No one mentioned anything about their situation as they got comfortable. They were all to head out the next day. Luckily, the military forced everyone to get rid of possessions. It made moving around easier.

A soldier walked into the bunk room. Everyone went to attention and saluted the higher ranking officer.

"Is there a 'Sora' here?"

Sora took one step forward without saying a word.

"Captain Riku would like to see you in his office."

xXxXx

"Axel, Xemnas wants to see you."

The redhead nodded and headed for the large doors around the corner. He knew something big was being planned.

Axel walked into the large white room with a smile. Xemnas sat on the highest chair in the room.

"You called, Boss?" he asked as he gave a small bow.

Xemnas snapped his fingers, forcing the doors shut. Axel knew he was about to be clued in or killed.

"Axel, you've been here long enough and proved how reliable you are. As you have probably guessed by now, we are preparing to make ourselves known to the world."

Axel's green eyes widened as he tried to comprehend why they would do this. Xemnas simply smiled and replied, "I need your help to make this work. Here's what we're going to do."

xXxXx

When the officer walked away, Sora turned to his squad mates.

They returned his look with shrugs.

"I'm sure he's just going over each squad member. Since he is the leader, he probably has to know everyone and how they fight."

Satisfied with the answer, Sora left. When he arrived at the door with Riku's name on it, he knocked and walked in. He saluted the captain and went into a rest position.

"Sora, I've been going over your scores. I was the one who passed the scores out for the practical. You made the second highest score in Keyblade Handling."

Riku put the folder he was holding on the desk in front of him. He stood and walked up to the new soldier.

"Just because you scored so high does not mean you are the best. It also does not mean you have room to brag to your squad members. I've seen many get on their high horse and try to act as leader when I am not around. I have no tolerance for that."

Sora watched with a frown as the captain walked around the room.

_What the hell is he talking about? _he thought.

Riku stopped pacing and stated, "If you have overconfidence, it WILL get you killed. Do you understand?"

"Yes Sir!"

With a sigh, the captain sat at his desk, moving the silver hair from his face. Sora hadn't noticed how bright his aquamarine eyes were before.

"You are dismissed."

Sora bowed and left the room in confusion.

_What the hell was that about?_

When Sora returned to the bunkhouse, everyone was waiting to hear what he had to say. He just turned to them and declared, "Our captain is a real douche."

All recruits had the rest of the day to have one last bit of free time. Sora went over to Kairi's division to visit. She quickly ran up to him and gave her boyfriend a hug.

"My squad is completely amazing, Sora! There's so many wonderful recruits. I'll be on patrol for a while. What about you?"

Sora knew he had to tell her. With a frown, he sat on a nearby bench. Worry spread over Kairi.

"Kairi...My squad is positioned on the front lines when we move out tomorrow."

"What?"

Tears started to form in her eyes.

"Why would they do something so stupid? You guys have never had practical experience! I don't understand."

Sora grabbed Kairi and held her.

"It'll be okay. My squad has good people in it and we're lead by one of the best. Let's not worry about this now and enjoy our day."

The two spent the rest of the day together laughing about their training. When the sun started to disappear, Sora let out a sigh.

"I have to go, Kairi. I'll be back soon enough."

Kairi stopped him and kissed his cheek, "You better not die."

xXxXx

No one got sleep that night as they waited. They stayed up for most of the night getting to know each other and wondering what it would be like on the battlefield.

When the sun came up, they all dragged their feet to the same spot that told them of their fate. Their Keyblade armor reflected the sun.

"Good morning, soldiers! I hope you four are ready to head out today. I know none of you have experience, but if you do as I say, we will get through this."

Sora looked around and felt a feeling of panic in his gut.

"I see you looking around as if someone else will show up. Unfortunately, you're the only four in my squad so do not expect much back up."

_They're sending us out on the front lines with no veterans!? _

Sora could tell the others were thinking the same.

"Alright, well, let's head to the front gate."

Riku remained calm and showed no sign of fear. Sora admired it and wished he could be the same way. In a way, Riku had a calming effect on Sora.

They reached the gate. Riku took everyone's basic Keyblade and handed a custom one to each member.

"Each of these Keyblades has been made with abilities fitting to you. It is just like using a regular Keyblade, but has separate abilities that you will discover on the battlefield."

Dilan stared at the captain and said, "Isn't it a little late to be testing out how to use them?"

Riku turned to him.

"Just think of it like a basic Keyblade and you will do fine."

Other squads lined behind theirs as Riku gave out instructions.

"Dilan, you will handle the right. Xion, go to the left. Ventus, you will stay in the center and help whoever is struggling the most. Sora, you take the rear. I will take lead. Our mission is to try to find their leader and take him out. Any portals will need to be destroyed as well as any nests. Stay TOGETHER and we will survive. Do you understand?"

Everyone nodded. Sora knew he would throw up if he opened his mouth.

"There are nine squads with us and the Advanced Tactics team will be in the center if a plan changes. Keep an eye for any flares and let me know. I know what each one means and will give further instructions then."

Squad 24 rearranged according to Riku's layout. They assumed Wisdom Form, which made everyone float. It was a faster way to travel as well as a quieter way. When the gates opened, silence filled the air. Riku turned and nodded. The gates closed when the last squad left.

It wasn't long before Shadows appeared. There wasn't too many places that provided shade so most Shadows did not appear until they reached the tree lines.

"XION, DILAN HIT!"yelled Riku. Sora looked to see two Shadows that tried to sneak their way into the troops.

_I can't believe he actually saw them._

Riku leaped in the air and split a Heartless Soldier in two.

They entered the trees, which provided the Heartless with the advantage. Sora could hear metal clanging and wondered if anyone had died yet.

"STOP!" Riku yelled again. Sora looked up to see the rare Darkside and countless Shadows. A large hole was centered in the Darkside's body. Sora saw it was shaped like a heart and thought it ironic.

The Darkside roared at the troops. Fear filled every soldier. Sora could tell they had not expected one so close to the gate. A flare went through the air.

"Captain, a red flare has been shot!" Sora yelled.

"Squad, follow!" he commanded.

They started to circle the large Heartless as Shadows rained down. Sora slashed his Keyblade into multiple Shadows. Just as they reached the side, Sora saw Dilan trail off from the group. He yelled, but his voice had no power in the loud noises. Shadows overwhelmed his teammate in mere seconds.

_He was the strongest one here! Why Dilan?_

They reached the back before Riku realized Dilan was gone.

"Ventus, fill Dilan's spot."

Rage filled Sora.

"How can you just FILL his spot? A squad member you were responsible for died and you just fill his spot like nothing?"

Riku stopped and turned with gritted teeth.

"Do not question me! We do not have time to mourn someone just yet. Get in position if you want to live."

Sora backed into his spot and eyed the Heartless. It was huge. Teams were already hitting it, but nothing brought it down.

"Xion! Ventus! Provide cover. Sora and I will head to the top to cut this bastard's head off!"

The two nodded with uncertainty.

"Sora, get to the top as fast as you can. Stay beside me and provide cover from the right. I will provide cover from the left. Team, GO!"

Sora started to run up the back, letting his Form help to keep him from falling. Blood poured over his face as countless Heartless were sliced. He turned to his captain to see Riku taking out twice as many Shadows.

_This is no time to watch in awe. For Dilan!_

As the two reached the top, Sora and Riku slashed at the neck as hard as they could. The Heartless yelled in pain and began to fall. They made their way down before being crushed by the Heartless. Sora smiled to himself. His squad took down the Heartless. He realized that the others were there to distract it while they reached around.

"Sora! LOOK OUT!" Riku yelled.

Sora turned in time to see a fiery glaive head his way. It cut deep into his side, causing him to fall the rest of the way down. Riku ran up and looked at Sora.

"Come on. Stay with me. You're stronger than this. Sora, do not fall asleep!"

Riku's voice started to fade. Sora tried to say something, but was unable to make a sound. Blood filled his mouth and poured from his side.

_So, this is how I die._ _It isn't so bad...The pain goes away after a while._

"I NEED A FUCKING HEALER!" Riku yelled.

Xion and Ventus stared with horror as their teammate closed his eyes for the last time.

* * *

**End Note:** Thank you again for reading! I really appreciate it and I love reading your comments and thoughts on it! Also, I would like to know if people prefer long or short chapters. This is something I've always wondered and would like your opinion. I personally like short chapters when I'm reading. It helps if I need to stop a lot. Also, I know this chapter moved a little fast. It will also start to go at a slightly slower pace after this.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary: **Sora enlists in the military to fight against the ever growing Heartless. When he meets his squad leader, Riku, Sora unearths many secrets that could get him killed. RikuXSora AxelXRoxas M for later chapters and there will be some angst.

**Author's Note: Please be aware that this story will be gory, have angst, language, and yaoi.**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

Axel stared down at the newest Organization member.

"Hey Roxas! Nice to see you're awake. The boss is eager to meet you. Follow me!"

With a blank stare, Roxas stood. Axel frowned as he stopped.

"I know you probably have a lot of questions. I'll try to answer them when you're done meeting with Xemnas. It was confusing for me too on the first day, but you'll grow to love us as your new family."

Roxas followed without a word. He had no questions, but he also was focusing on moving his body. It felt stiff and sore. Roxas noticed he was wearing a black coat and wondered when he put it on. As he started thinking, he realized he couldn't remember anything other than his name, which Axel said.

The two entered a large room. Axel stayed beside the confused teen as Xemnas greeted him.

"Roxas, I welcome you into the Organization.

xXxXx

Sora slowly opened his eyes. Pain soared through his body as he began to wake up. He realized his armor had been taken off.

_What happened? Why is it so bright?_

As his eyes adjusted to the light, Sora realized he was in a building. It took him a few minutes to realize he was in a medical facility. He turned to see Riku standing outside the door. It didn't take much to hear that he was yelling at someone.

_Typical, _thought Sora.

He tried to sit up, but was greeted with a stabbing pain. He yelled as it shot through his body. When the door opened, he realized they heard him.

Riku entered the room alone and sat beside Sora.

"How are you feeling?"

Sora nodded and replied, "What happened?"

A sigh escaped Riku's lips.

"To put it simply...you died."

"What?"

Riku chuckled and summoned his Keyblade. He stared at it for a while before turning to Sora.

"You died...for a few minutes. Our top healer on the field managed to revive you."

Sora glared at the captain. He was hiding something.

"How?" he simply asked.

The captain stood from his seat and paced around the small room. He explained how an unknown weapon was thrown at him.

"It was not a military weapon and so we assume that it was someone from the outside. It was not by chance either. I believe the entire thing was a set up for someone and by the looks of it, that someone would be you."

Sora raised an eyebrow as he let the information sink into his brain. A headache slowly crept up into his head, which forced Sora to stop thinking so much.

"I see. What about Dilan?"

Riku stopped pacing and stared out of a tiny window.

"He died. We sent his body home this morning," he whispered.

Sora glared at the superior soldier.

"Quit pretending like you care! You didn't do anything on the battlefield to protect him. You're our captain and we look to you for the biggest source of protection! I bet it was even your idea to go to the front lines wasn't it?! How can you just watch your followers die and keep going?"

Riku refused to face Sora. Anger rushed through him, but he managed to let it go.

"Sora, one day you will understand my position and what I go through. Get some rest. The doctor said you should be returning tomorrow."

With those last words, Riku left.

xXxXx

Sora was greeted by Xion and Ventus as he approached the meeting spot. The only thing the glaive left was a large scar on his side where it cut into his body. The pain had disappeared hours ago and he felt as if he had never been cut.

"Sora, it's good to see you up. You really had us worried!" Xion said, trying to laugh it off.

"I'm sorry. I should have paid more attention. Anyway, I'm ready to go now!"

Ventus turned with a frown on his face.

"I heard that we're supposed to really scout the area this time. Squads will be divided to cover more ground. They're really wanting to find the leader soon."

Riku approached the Scouts before Ventus could finish.

"Nice to see you all on your feet so early. I regret to inform you that we will be moving out after I'm done explaining this mission."

Riku started to pace between his troops.

"We will be covering as much ground as possible each day. During each fight, I will be training you as long as it is not overwhelming. I ask that you listen to everything I say and not fool around. We will be on the battlefield at a disadvantage night and day. It will probably be one of the toughest things you will ever endure physically and mentally."

Riku looked at the remaining three squad members and smirked.

"Let's see how much ground we can get covered!"

He started to walk towards the front gate as the team followed. Xion followed close behind with determination set on her face. Ventus already had his Keyblade out, hooked on his back. Sora, still feeling slightly weak, grimaced to himself. He wasn't looking forward to training with the person that let his squad member die.

They left the safety of the city and trudged through the unknown land. Wisdom form took too much energy for traveling long distances, so they were forced to walk.

It didn't take long before Shadows emerged. Riku took down all of them then set his blade down. He turned to his team and pulled Xion forward.

"Ladies first," he stated as Xion readied her Blade. Riku turned to the other two.

"You will not step in nor will you say a thing. No matter what. Understand?"

_He's going to get us killed!_

They both nodded, doubt in their eyes.

A Shadow appeared and Xion sliced through it easily. A few more appeared and Xion was starting to show signs of fear. She began holding the Keyblade wrong as her stance changed. Sora looked at her then back at Riku. He waited for him to correct anything, but Riku merely watched. Just before a Heartless slashed her back, Riku threw his Keyblade, cutting of its head. Xion finished off the last Heartless, then turned to the captain. Sweat poured from her red face.

"Xion, state your mistakes," commanded Riku.

"Um...My Keyblade Handling started be bad..."

Riku nodded, then continued for her.

"When more approached, you started to hold it in a comfortable position for you. I noticed this the first time on the battlefield. When everyone fights, they do not think about how to hold the Keyblade nor how to use proper stances. This is all stuff you learn in training school. Well, forget everything they've taught you. I will teach you how to fight according to what is comfortable for you. If you're fighting and you change your position, because you're not used to it, you will die."

Ventus was the first to respond.

"So, you're saying if we aren't comfortable while fighting, it could be a cause to kill us?"

Riku nodded and called him forward. Throughout the day, they advanced farther as the three switched out to train until Ventus went out for the third time. Exhaustion was starting to overcome him. He wasn't used to using so much energy. Riku stayed back as he watched his trainee struggle. More Shadows kept appearing as Ventus struggled. Still, Riku stayed where he stood. Sora watched as Ventus was about to be overwhelmed. He couldn't take it anymore and jumped pass Xion and Riku. He helped Ventus clear every last one. When the last one was gone, Ventus collapsed on the ground.

Riku rushed over, anger on his face.

"Why did you disobey me!?" he yelled.

Sora maintained an attention stance as he stared straight ahead.

"Answer me!"

"He was about to be killed by the Heartless. Command or no command, I will not stand by and watch as a comrade is about to be killed."

Riku smiled and turned to the rest of his team.

"Congratulations on passing Training Session One. Sora has figured it out. We are a family and no matter what, we will work together to try to keep everyone alive. We may be soldiers, but we are human beings. We will rest for the rest of the day. I will take first watch."

The moon was bright in the sky. Riku cleared the area to make it safe for them to sleep. Ventus and Xion immediately passed out. Sora, however, sat up and walked over to a tree that Riku sat in. He had been staring through the trees filled with thoughts and memories.

"Captain?" he called in a quiet voice.

Riku chuckled and turned to his pupil.

"I knew you would still be awake. Come up here so we can get your questions answered."

Sora climbed up, muscles screaming in protest from a long day of moving.

"What if none of us would have jumped in to help Ventus?"

Riku turned back to where he was staring at with a sigh.

"I would have let him die."

A look of horror filled Sora's face. Riku could feel it emit from him and so continued.

"If you would not have saved him, you two would have been no better than a Heartless. I learned this the hard way. Team work is a must on the field and if we listened to every command the higher ups gave us, there would be none of us left."

Sora looked in the same direction and asked, "What do you mean you learned the hard way?"

The captain looked down at the ground where the rest of his team slept.

"I wasn't always a captain. My captain was selfish and only cared for himself. Rules meant everything to him, even if it meant sacrificing his squad."

Riku took off his jacket. Sora could tell the memories upset him, but curiosity got the better of him.

"I entered the academy at one age earlier than allowed. I wanted to fight the Heartless for making so many people suffer. When I passed, I was the top of the class and directed to the Advanced Squad. We had eleven members on my squad including myself and the captain. We were overwhelmed by Soldiers. Their armor is much harder to penetrate than a Shadow. Two of my squad mates had already fell. It wasn't long until there was only three of us left, including the Captain. He ran as me and my teammate 'distracted' the Heartless."

Sora's blue eyes grew wide as he tried to imagine it.

"He left us to die and tried to report that we heroically gave our lives to make sure he lived to train another squad. When I came back, dragging my squad mate's...no...my best friend's body, I was filled with revenge. Not on the Heartless...but on him. When the military realized he lied and abandoned his post, they banished him outside the walls. That's when I was promoted. You guys are my first squad to lead."

Sora almost fell off the branch as a thought occurred to him.

"Sir, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

"Twenty," he whispered.

"You're only one year older than me? How is it that you have so much experience?"

"I fought many battles before that day, Sora."

Silence filled the air between the two before Riku continued.

"You should get some sleep. I'll put you on the last watch."

Sora nodded and jumped down, using his Wisdom form to avoid impact. Riku grinned to himself.

"By the way, Sora...Thanks for the talk. And..." he paused and smiled down at the soldier.

"Thanks for not listening to me."

* * *

**End Note:** Thank you for reading. I really enjoy reading reviews so don't be shy! More Roxas and Axel to come next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary: **Sora enlists in the military to fight against the ever growing Heartless. When he meets his squad leader, Riku, Sora unearths many secrets that could get him killed. RikuXSora AxelXRoxas M for later chapters and there will be some angst.

**Author's Note: Please be aware that this story will be gory, have angst, language, and yaoi.**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Roxas stared at the blade in his hand.

_What is a Keyblade? Why am I killing these creatures? Are they evil? Am I evil? What purpose do I serve?_

Axel patted the shorter Organization member on the shoulder.

"I don't understand why I'm doing this..."Roxas muttered.

"The rest of the world is fighting a war. Heartless versus humans. We...We call ourselves 'Nobodies'. Until now, we have had no one able to wield a Keyblade like the humans. When you arrived, you gave us hope for a better life. We've been hiding away for years. No contact with the humans nor Heartless."

Roxas looked up at his partner. Axel had been training him to fight to the best of his ability. There was only one that has handled a Keyblade in the Organization before Roxas. This made training difficult since Xemnas was always away on business. He ordered Axel to train him in the basics.

"Axel...When you kill, do you feel anything?"

The redhead pondered for a minute. He had never asked himself the question before.

"When I take out Heartless, I feel energy build up. It's more like adrenaline."

Roxas shook his head.

"No. Emotions...Do you have any?"

Axel grabbed the blond and dragged him to the window. Darkness covered the land. Eyes from the Heartless speckled the foliage.

"I've never thought about it before. No, I don't. Why do you ask?"

Roxas stared at his Keylade. Xemnas told him it was the only weapon that could truly destroy a Heartless.

"I was just wondering. I don't feel anything either."

xXxXx

Sora was woken by Xion for the last watch. His muscles were stiff and it was difficult for him to get up. He positioned himself on the same branch Riku had used and started to look across the dense trees. It was difficult to see everything, but he knew Riku cleared the area before the end of his shift.

When the sun started poking through the trees, he woke the rest of the team. Riku had already been awake. He patrolled the area as the others fixed a small breakfast.

When he returned, Sora held out his share of the food. As they ate, Riku explained the plan for that day.

"The next lesson is for you guys to unlock your primary ability. That is the most crucial move for any Keyblader."

The team felt determination and excitement. Each Keyblader had a unique ability that was their move for life.

"Energy is important. You will know the moment you can use your ability. When that moment happens, try to put that energy into the Keyblade and let it handle the this exercise we will also find strengths and weaknesses. I have already pinpointed the most important aspects to each of you. It's your turn to learn."

Sora lifted an eyebrow.

"What about you? We're a team and need to learn what you can do too."

Riku chuckled as he finished his food, "Right again, Sora. I will be joining you as well. Read all the movements of each other and you will do fine."

Ventus turned to Sora with a frown. A ping of jealousy filled him. He could tell Riku started to favor him.

When the food was finished, they packed their supplies and started to advance. No one had seen any flares and so assumed all areas were secured.

"Xion, Sora...You two will take the first charge."

Ventus stayed with Riku. He knew he would get a chance to fight alongside him and prove he was a better fighter.

Heartless began to appear. Xion grew hesitant until Sora rushed ahead. He spun and cut two Shadows at once. Adrenaline soared through his body as more went down. It was becoming easier to fight.

A Heartless jumped behind Sora. Before Sora even took notice, Xion had sliced it. It was then she noticed a weakness of his. He didn't pay attention to the little details, which let more Heartless through his defenses. A smile formed on her face as she ran beside him and took out another. The two went back to back as the Shadows surrounded them. A burst of energy flowed through her.

_My ability!_ she thought to herself. She let her energy flow through the Keyblade as she hurled it in front of her.

"Sora! Duck!" she yelled.

The Keyblade flew around them, piercing all in its way. When it went in a complete circle, Xion summoned it back into her hand and fell to the ground, panting.

Sora took out the last three then ran over to Xion. Riku approached her with a grin.

"You just realized your primary ability. Good job, Xion. You and Sora stand back and rest. Using your ability will drain your energy at first. With more practice, you will be able to do it more often without wearing yourself out. Ventus, let's go."

The team moved forward until another wave. Ventus ran into the crowd and cut away.

"Ventus, remember to examine the crowd before you rush into it!" he said as he cut a Heartless trying to kill his pupil.

He nodded then with an apology, then continued. It didn't take him long to catch on to Riku's fighting style and started to let him lead. A burst of energy came from no where. He knew it was his ability and let it take charge. Ice circled the blade and froze every enemy on the field.

"Nice, Ven," Riku said as he looked around the battlefield.

None moved, which gave them enough time to finish them off. Sora watched with a frown. He had been the only one without an ability.

When the Heartless were gone, Ventus joined Xion in the rear.

"Now, we will take a small break and all fight."

Xion and Ventus collapsed to the ground and started to talk about the feeling of using an ability. Sora listened, trying to figure out how to unlock his. Riku sighed as he stared at his team. He turned to the area they were about to go in.

_Sora hasn't unlocked his ability yet. I was hoping he would unlock it by now so we can all work with each other. He'll get it soon enough._

Riku lead the way as they ventured deeper into the trees. Sunlight was becoming scarce, making the area a very dangerous zone.

He threw up a hand, commanding the team to stop and listen.

"Ambush!" he yelled a second too late. Heartless swarmed at the team as they began to tear away at each one.

_Xion and Ventus are too exhausted to use their ability again...Dammit!_

Riku turned to his struggling team. Xion and Ventus were running on adrenaline and couldn't hold out too long. The only other one he could count on at the moment was Sora.

"Sora, take lead! Xion, Ventus, in the center!" he commanded.

Sora could hear the worry in Riku's voice. It was risky to have a new soldier at point, especially if they couldn't use their primary ability. There was no time to question it and so he ran in front, destroying the Heartless in his path. His heart rate was becoming high as more kept coming. Then, Large Bodies appeared.

Riku's heart fell as he saw the large Heartless. His team was not strong enough. There was only one thing he could do. It would be risky, but he had to if there was a chance to save everyone.

"Sora, give me your Keyblade hand!" he yelled as he ran between Xion and Ventus.

He grabbed Sora's hand and Keyblade and siphoned the energy from him into his own. Both Keyblades glowed as Riku took the Keyblade from the boy's hand. There was only one other time he had duel wielded with another's energy and it didn't end well.

Sora fell to the ground as Riku caused the two Keyblades to spin. He grabbed the middle and charged them with fire before throwing it as hard as he could. Explosions echoed through the trees. Each Heartless exploded as the fiery Keyblade tore into them.

"Xion, Ventus, Go!" he yelled. The two finished off the stragglers as Riku ran to Sora. He had drained most of the boy's energy and knew he would be out for a while.

_I didn't kill him! Thank God._

Ventus walked over, armor covered in blood.

"What was that ability?"

Riku picked up Sora from the ground.

"That was a Last Resort ability. They will always be risky no matter the person. You must give something in order to receive it. How much you receive depends on how much energy is given. Unfortunately, it takes so much energy, it requires at least two people...and the second person may not always live."

xXxXx

Axel was relieved as Xemnas took Roxas to train him. He had time to relax and think.

_No...Emotions. Do you have any?_

The thought had stuck with him the entire day to the point where it bothered him. Nobodies never had emotions. How could they? They had no heart. Yet, something was creeping inside as he taught the new member.

_Did that boy have so much heart that some actually could have transferred to Roxas? No, that can't happen. Are we capable of developing emotions?_

Axel shrugged it off and decided a nap would do him some good. He was told emotions are the reason most get killed and he sure didn't want that.

xXxXx

Sora opened his eyes. It was dark outside with little visiblity.

"Sora?" came a familiar voice.

He sat up to see Riku leaned against a tree. Exhaustion emanated from his body. Bags formed under his aquamarine eyes.

"Riku? What happened? Have you slept?"

Riku shook his head.

"You all were exhausted from today. The other two needed sleep and there was no waking you. So, I've stayed up all night keeping an eye for Heartless," he whispered.

His voice was haggard and husky causing a shiver to flow through Sora.

"What did you do earlier?"

Riku explained everything as he had to the team earlier that day. Since everyone was tired, they were unable to advance.

"I'm sorry to have risked your life, but I needed to try it if we had a hope of surviving."

"Why apologize? Sacrifice isn't always bad, Captain. You guys are my family and I would give my life for any of you any time."

The two talked for a few minutes before Riku fell asleep. Sora laughed quietly and kept watch for the rest of the night. Guilt filled him as he realized he had not once thought about Kairi.

_I wonder what she's doing. Probably keeping guard right now._

Just before the sun went up, a bright flare went into the air causing Sora to jump.

"Riku, a retreat flare was just signaled!"

Riku jumped up, pulling on his armor and waking the rest of the team. He turned in the direction where the flare came from with clenched teeth.

_Not good. It's only been two days. That flare was close too. We need to hurry._

The team spent the rest of the day heading towards the city as fast as they could. They reached the city in six hours. Other squads were present, covered with sweat. Riku went to talk to a nearby captain about the situation.

He headed back to his own squad and looked at every one of them.

"The rest of the Scouts have been decimated. We're all that's left..."he muttered.

Fear filled everyone's eyes.

"There's only a hundred here at most! What are we going to do?" Ventus asked.

Riku turned from the team to stare at the gate.

"For now, rest. It's been a hard two days for you guys. We need to prepare if something is coming. Dismissed!"

Nothing appeared at the gates for the rest of the night. Days passed and still no word. Small teams were sent out to investigate, but returned with nothing. No bodies could be recovered. All they knew is that it was the Heartless.

Riku continued to train his team in the large training arena. Sora still lacked in unlocking his ability. This caused concern in Riku. He didn't know how to trigger it, and so decided to work with Sora alone to try and bring it out. Nothing. Sora's fighting skill improved with the intense practice. His endurance became incredible and he was able to last a while in a match against Riku before being beaten.

Riku pulled Sora from the ground. He had been hard on him the last few days and knew Sora was becoming impatient.

"I can't unlock it, Captain! Xion and Ventus can already use theirs multiple times throughout the day. I can't even figure out what mine is!"

Sora threw the Keyblade in the sand as hard as he could.

"Pick it up," Riku commanded.

"You pick it up! I'm tired of this, Riku! I give up!"

"Attention!" Riku yelled. Sora began to walk away, which sent anger into Riku. The silver-headed captain jumped in front of Sora. A fist hit Sora hard as he fell to the ground.

"I said ATTENTION!"

Sora stood and went into attention. Riku got in front of him and began to yell.

"I am your captain and you will never disrespect me again! Pick up your Keyblade and get your shit together! I do not like spending every single minute training any more than you do. However, until you figure out how to get your weak ass into gear and activate it, I will stay here all day and night."

Riku trained Sora into the ground for the rest of the day. Xion and Ventus had the day off since they could almost master their ability. The two had been training with each other on basic fighting, which they soon mastered.

Night approached as sparks flew between the two. Sweat covered both of them from head to toe. Bruises covered Sora from the multiple times Riku hit him with the blunt side of the blade.

Sora fell to the ground with frustration. Riku walked over and helped his pupil off the ground.

"Sora, this is your last chance. If you can't figure it out, I will not hesitate to kill you this time. You will be no use to us if you can't unlock your primary ability."

Sora could see the truth in the captain's eyes. Adrenaline went through him as Riku charged. He dodged and kept rolling to avoid Riku's blade. He was tired of running.

"Come on you piece of shit. Surely, you can at least land one hit. You're too weak. You won't be able to save anyone. You'll be lucky if you can just save yourself." Riku taunted.

Sora yelled in frustration and sped towards the captain. Energy came from nowhere and formed into a second Keyblade. It controlled itself and flew at Riku.

Riku saw it in time to avoid it and knocked Sora to the ground as he deflected the first blade. Something hit him hard in the back, forcing him off his feet. Sora stood above him with a smirk as he held one Keyblade and another floated.

"I will not be called weak again!" he stated.

Riku let a sigh of relief leave his lips as he let his head hit the ground.

"Jesus...about fucking time."

The anger left Sora as he noticed the second Keyblade found its way into his hand. Riku stood on his feet and dusted his pants.

"No wonder it took so long. You're a true duel wielder. Sora, you can fight with two specialized Keyblades."

Sora stared at the second Keyblade in awe. He felt tired, but not from loss of energy. When he was about to ask about it, Riku stopped him.

"Let's go grab some grub before you ask all these questions. I'm starved!"

The two went to Riku's office. He opened the small box and threw Sora a piece of fruit.

"You have Paopu Fruit!? I haven't seen these in ages," Sora said as he bit into the star-shaped fruit.

Riku did the same.

"These are from my home island. They never die and taste amazing."

The two finished their food before Sora let the questions loose.

"Why am I not exhausted like Xion and Ventus?"

"Duel wielding is a rare passive ability. It takes a lot to unlock it, but once it's unlocked, you will never need a lot of energy to use it. I'm a duel wielder too, but a different kind. I can only duel wield in my final ability. You don't need the energy of two people like I do. I assume training will be easier for you from here. Your second blade can act as a shield or weapon. You truly are an amazing guy."

"Thanks for putting up with my bad attitude. I know today was difficult for you too."

Throughout the day, Riku had noticed the intensity of Sora's determination. While watching him train, he noticed his eyes and just how blue they were. His hair was uncontrollable and his body toned. Jealousy didn't hit him like he thought it would have. Something else did, though.

He leaned in on the table they were sitting at. Sora's face blushed as he fell backward out the chair.

"I...uh...should go."

Riku nodded and watched as the soldier left his office. A smirk covered his face after Sora was gone.

_I will have him, _Riku thought to himself as he looked out of the large window in his office.

xXxXx

Roxas threw his Keyblade through another human. The armor was not made to stop a Keyblade from penetrating it. Xemnas smiled as he put an arm around Roxas. Days had gone by as did the troops. Roxas had taken out almost every squad that was sent out.

The two returned to the building. Roxas went to the large room he shared with Axel.

"How'd today go?"

Roxas didn't face him. He put away his Keyblade and sat on his bed.

"I killed so many people, Axel. I don't even know why I'm doing it. These people didn't even have a fair fight against me."

_Guilt...Roxas is experiencing guilt! How?_

Axel went from his bed and walked over to Roxas. The blonde shoved his face into a pillow and sprawled on his bed. The redhead laid beside him and started to stroke his hair. Something heavy was filling his own body.

"It's okay, Roxas. You'll get through this."

* * *

**End Note: **I hope you enjoyed!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary: **Sora enlists in the military to fight against the ever growing Heartless. When he meets his squad leader, Riku, Sora unearths many secrets that could get him killed. RikuXSora AxelXRoxas M for later chapters and there will be some angst.

**Author's Note: Please be aware that this story will be gory, have angst, language, and yaoi.**

* * *

**Chapter Five**

Sora tried to sleep. His muscles were so sore, he could hardly move. However, it wasn't the muscles that kept him awake. The captain's intense look kept appearing in his head. The image bothered Sora. It sent weird feelings in his body.

Hours passed. Sora released a sigh and finally fell asleep.

The next morning was unbearable for the brunet. When he tried to stand from his bunk, he immediately fell to the floor. Xion ran over as Ventus laughed. She gave him a stern look.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Sora slowly stood on his feet and made his way to the bathrooms.

"I'll manage," he said.

Just as Sora finished dressing in his uniform, the captain walked through the door. The troops went to attention as Riku paced in front of them.

"You all have been working so hard that I've decided to give everyone a day off. Sora was able to unlock his ability."

"Finally," Ventus muttered, though it did not go unnoticed by Riku.

"Ventus, what did you say?"

"All I was saying was how it took him forever. We could have furthered our training more if he wasn't holding us back, Sir."

Riku walked up to the blond. His face was hard to read, but everyone felt the tension.

"Ventus, what did I tell you all? We are a family. In fact, if Sora hadn't stepped in, I would have let those Heartless kill you. Be lucky there was one person here that was willing to disobey my order and save your life. I do not ever want to hear another bad word about your team. Do I make myself clear?"

Ventus furrowed his brows and saluted.

"Yes, Sir."

"Anyway, you all have the day off. Enjoy it. Report back on site tomorrow at dawn. We will have a lot of work to do. Lucky for you, our squad has been moved off the front lines. Dismissed!"

Riku turned and walked out of the bunk house. Sora never noticed how the perfect-fitting uniform complemented Riku's body.

_Sora, you have a girlfriend. You do not swing on that side of the tracks, so chill._

He shook off the thought and left to find Kairi. He was lucky since it was her rest day. Sora wanted to surprise her, so he arrived just after she woke up.

"Sora!" she exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around him. Her eyes went to his arms.

"You're getting so muscular. Looks like the Scouts has done your body a favor. I'm glad to see you're doing well."

He laughed and rolled his eyes.

"How's it been, Kairi?"

She shrugged and said, "It's actually been really great. We've actually been really relaxed lately. Yesterday, we decided to have another luncheon for the Guards. They're so fun, Sora. We have one once a week. When it's slow, my team will usually bring a couple of drinks."

Sora frowned.

"What's wrong?"

The Scout sighed and decided to tell her the truth.

"So, the guards get to act like they're on vacation while the entire Scout legion has pretty much been decimated? All those soldiers died while you guys were pigging out?"

"Don't be jealous, Sora. You wanted this for me and you wanted to go off and try to get yourself killed. The Guard is my family and they do a great job letting me forget about you!"

Sora could feel the anger start to leak, but managed to keep it under control.

"Kairi, I almost died on the front lines."

Kairi clenched her teeth together. She had enough.

"I know you almost died, you idiot! The advanced team was sent to check everyone's stuff to see if anything weird was around."

Hurt instantly covered the anger. He tightened his hand into a fist and looked to the ground.

"You knew?"

Kairi looked away. She didn't want to tell him that she found out through Namine.

"Why didn't you visit me?" he whispered.

"I...didn't have time..."muttered Kairi.

Sora turned around and walked away from his girlfriend. Kairi tried to stop him. Sora paused and looked at Kairi with anger.

"Kairi, I need some time alone. Go back to having luncheons. I need to go train anyway."

Sora ran to the training grounds. He pulled out both of his Keyblades, despite how sore he was, and started to slash at the dummy Heartless.

_She knew I almost died and she 'couldn't find time to visit'? I can't even believe she didn't care. She didn't even care._

Metal clashed against his blades, startling the boy.

"I tell you guys that you have the day off and you use it to train? Sora, you are seriously not right."

Sora turned around and started to hit the dummies again.

"Just leave me alone! If I didn't slash off these fake Heartless' heads, I'd slash off a real person's head!" he yelled as he destroyed another target.

Riku leaned against the wall as he stabbed his blade into the ground.

"Something's bothering you."

"No," Sora said, looking for another target.

"That wasn't a question. As your leader, I have to examine how all of you perform mentally and physically. I can tell you're upset. Need to talk?"

Sora let out a huge sigh and thrust his blade into the ground.

"No, I don't need to talk. I just want to destroy all of these targets and enjoy the rest of the day...by myself. This is how I want to spend my rest day, so that's how I'm going to spend it."

Riku shrugged and made his Keyblade disappear.

"If that's how you want to spend your day, I understand."

The captain walked to the doorway, then stopped and said, "However, if you need to talk...or even if you want a match...I'll be in my cabin."

Sora nodded and continued his fighting. The hurt didn't go away, but he felt better after Riku spoke to him.

_Damn that captain. He can never just leave me alone._

xXxXx

Roxas stared straight ahead as Xemnas walked around him. Xemnas had evaluated the young boy for hours before.

"Axel, you've done a nice job preparing Roxas. I believe he's ready to fight."

The redhead chuckled to himself.

"All I did was make him practice. You taught him everything."

Xemnas turned to the other Organization member with a smile.

"You both have earned free time today. Tomorrow, we head out. I hear the soldiers are planning to explore again. We have the element of surprise and that's how we'll start. I'll fill you in later."

Axel took this as permission to leave and so grabbed Roxas and left. Roxas said nothing until the two were in their rooms.

"Axel, I don't want to do this. I can't keep killing."

The redhead sighed as he sat on his bed.

"Well, you have to, buddy. It'll finally give us a chance to be free. We can do whatever we want whenever we want. I've been here for too long, Roxas. You wouldn't understand."

Roxas sat on his own bed.

"But, Axel, do you really think Xemnas will let you do what you want?"

Roxas turned to the door and lowered his voice. Axel had to lean in to hear the boy.

"Surely you notice it too. Xemnas craves power. The minute we destroy the Keybladers, he will take over. I don't have a good feeling about it."

Axel was surprised at his partner. He had come a long way in just a few days. Roxas was learning fast. Too fast.

"Be careful of what you speak of, Roxas. What you just said could be considered treason. Xemnas could take your head off for that."

"At least I wouldn't have to worry about living here for the rest of my life," he mumbled.

Axel sighed. He had hoped the rest of the day would be better. "Roxas, please try to understand. The entire Organization has been stuck here for years. We were a mess before last year when Xemnas showed up. When he took control, we learned to fight. We learned how to control the Nobodies and how to survive. I trust the man, Roxas. Are we friends?"

Roxas raised an eyebrow.

"Of course," he said without doubt.

"Then, please...if you won't do this for him, do it for me. I want to be free from this darkness, Roxas."

Roxas looked down at his black boots. Axel had helped him train despite the lack of Keyblade knowledge. He even cheered him up when he felt bad. Roxas knew he owed Axel. The boy turned to the redhead with a smile.

"Alright then. I'll do it for you."

xXxXx

The day turned into evening while Sora was still practicing. He was beginning to feel like a part of the blade with every hour. The second blade was certainly a challenge, but he started to get the basic feel for it.

Sora felt bad for talking to his captain the way he had.

"I guess I should go apologize. He could have had me doing push-ups for the rest of the day."

Sora cleaned the arena for the next person, then headed to Riku's small house. Every captain received their own living facility, though he didn't know why. Captains were usually in their office more than their home.

He walked up to the door marked 'Riku' and knocked. The captain opened the door and invited his soldier inside. Riku was no longer in uniform. His casual clothes consisted of a white, collared shirt and jeans.

"I see that you've decided to come talk to me. What's on your mind?"

Sora apologized for his actions and thanked Riku for not punishing him.

"Sora, let's take a walk. The sun has almost set and it's not too cold this time of year."

Sora agreed and the two left the small cabin.

"I just wanted to let you know that I wasn't upset at you. My girlfriend is in the Guard and she was telling me how much slack they are able to have while we risk our soldiers everyday protecting the citizens in this city. She knew I almost got killed and didn't even come to visit me."

Sora kept the tears back. Kairi had been his friend for so long. When she showed no sign of caring, it tore him.

Riku stopped walking and sat on a small wall.

"Sora, unfortunately, there's not much I can do about that. The soldiers in the Guard have always had a much easier time. They don't ever get to experience the fears that we go through, nor the pain. Many soldiers are discharged from mental disorders alone. The ones who aren't will usually experience the same irrational fear down the line. This is something we will have to live with for the rest of our lives. However, if Heartless were ever to breach the city...we would be the few that could handle the attack. The most the Guard ever experiences are the few murders between civilians. They don't watch their squad get killed. They don't have to feel the fear that we do on a daily basis. The Guard is unfit to fight. They are weak compared to us, Sora. Just remember that and be proud of who you are. Don't worry about the other divisions."

Sora never looked at the situation like that.

"As for your girlfriend, forget about her."

"What?" Sora asked, in shock.

"Why feel sad over someone who obviously doesn't have feelings for you? Besides, being in different divisions...How long did you think you two would last? Sora, you're a remarkable soldier and an amazing guy. You'll find someone else."

Riku jumped off the wall and stared at the blushing Sora.

"I don't know what to say," Sora whispered.

Riku got closer and gently placed his lips against Sora's lips. Sora couldn't breathe. He didn't expect it...but he liked it.

_Is he just a rebound or do I really like him?_

The captain smirked.

"Don't forget to breathe," he said as he lifted Sora's chin to look at him.

"I...uh..."

"Sora?"

The brunet spun around to see Kairi with her squad members. He could smell the alcohol on their breath.

"Kairi! What are you doing here?"

She threw the bottle she had been holding at him. Riku knocked it out of the way with his hands.

"I suggest you go back to your bunkhouse," he threatened.

Kairi scoffed as her blue eyes looked at Riku.

"You have no command over me. You're just another Scout that almost got my Sora killed."

"Kairi, stop!" said Sora, but Riku stopped him.

Riku grabbed the boy and held him close to his side. He gave the girl a smirk after looking at Sora.

"Sora is mine, now. He doesn't have time for baby Guards like yourselves. If you do not leave, I will report to the General about this."

"Under what authority!?"

"Captain, please don't," whispered Sora.

"It shames me to think that you Guards have no proper schooling of current leaders and captains. Do not make me tell you again. If you don't leave, I, Captain Riku, will report you for disrespecting an officer."

Kairi's eyes grew big as she looked at Sora.

"I always knew you didn't love me," she stated before storming away.

Sora let out a sigh.

"Well, guess that settles it," Sora muttered.

"Trust me, Sora. That girl is not worth your time."

Sora chuckled and looked at the officer.

"So, you are?"

Riku rolled his eyes and said, "Duh."

* * *

**End Note: **I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary: **Sora enlists in the military to fight against the ever growing Heartless. When he meets his squad leader, Riku, Sora unearths many secrets that could get him killed. RikuXSora AxelXRoxas M for later chapters and there will be some angst.

**Author's Note: Please be aware that this story will be gory, have angst, language, and yaoi.**

* * *

**Chapter Six**

The team had left before the sun popped over the horizon. Sora found that he couldn't stop blushing with Riku around. He made sure to be the last one to walk so no one would question him.

As they continued along the previous path, they noticed a lack of Heartless.

"Where do you think they went?" Ventus asked as he looked around.

Riku shrugged and narrowed his eyes.

"They probably sent another team out when whatever was supposed to come, didn't. We should still keep an eye out. They never did find the bastard and the soldiers were too traumatized to say anything. So, we have no idea what we're looking for, but I'm guessing that we'll know when we see it."

Sora stared at the ground. He saw the witnesses. None of them had life left in their body.

Riku stopped the group and turned to Sora and Ventus.

"You two, take point. Xion, stay back with me. Now's a great time to figure out how you guys will fight alongside each other. Use your abilities sparingly. We never know when something may happen."

Sora walked next to Ventus with a smile. Ventus had a smirk on his face.

_What the hell is his problem?_

They slowed their pace when they realized Shadows were nearby. A Heartless ran at the two males. Ventus shoved Sora aside and slashed it. Riku was focusing on the area around them as Ventus walked back to Sora.

"I can't have you hold me back," he whispered. Sora shot a glare at Ventus, then looked at the approaching Heartless.

He pulled out his second Keyblade and jumped. He landed in the middle as the two Heartless disappeared.

"How do you have two Keyblades?" Ventus asked in shock.

Riku turned and noticed the sour tone.

"That would be his ability. It's not as fancy as ours and it requires a lot of work to keep both hands at the same level. It's nothing to be jealous of, really."

Xion watched in admiration as Sora killed another Heartless.

"Come on, Ven! Work with me here!" he yelled.

Ventus kept his teeth clenched as he ran over. The two hacked and slashed as Riku sighed. Xion had noticed it too.

"They're not working together at all...They're competing to see who's the better slayer," she said, turning to the captain.

Riku nodded.

"I had a feeling something like that would happen."

Ventus turned and knocked Sora's second blade from his hand. A Heartless jumped at the brunet, but was killed when Ventus struck it in the chest.

"I just saved your life. We're even now," he muttered.

"What the fuck was that!?"

Sora ran over and punched Ventus in the face after tackling him to the ground.

"I don't know what your fucking problem is, but get over it!" he yelled.

Ventus rolled him over and returned the fists.

"You always have to play the favorite! Ever since you were little you had to take all the spotlight. How about sharing it with your team every once in a while? I know you had to see that glaive, but you wanted a little pity party didn't you?"

The two rolled around as Heartless emerged.

"Xion, we need to clear these Heartless back. They can sense the anger and it's attracting them like mosquitoes!"

With a nod, Xion took off in the opposite direction and started to kill the Heartless. Riku cursed under his breath as he cleared the area long enough to approach the boys.

He walked over and kicked the both with his heavy boot.

"Both of you need to stop. You're Scouts, not children dammit! Get back and out of my way before I kill you both."

Sora and Ventus walked where Riku and Xion had been standing before. Sora looked around for a brief second then stopped.

"Where's Xion?"

Riku looked around and saw no sign of her. He muttered a curse and went in the direction that she had gone. No sounds except from the wind hitting the leaves.

"This is your fault," Ventus muttered, staring down at Sora.

"Shut up! If you weren't such a selfish brat, none of this would have happened."

Riku turned, rage in his eyes.

"Xion is missing and you two have the nerve to argue? If you two say another word for the rest of the day, I will discharge you and leave you here by yourselves. Understand?!"

Sora and Ventus nodded as they followed the captain in search of their teammate. Sora ignored the obvious stares from Ventus and focused on finding Xion.

Hours went by with no trail. Riku punched the trunk of a nearby tree and pushed Ventus and Sora to the grounds.

"Because you two like to act like children, we now officially are missing a person from our squad. I hope both of you realize the severity of the situation. Not only is Xion missing, but we are now a man down."

Riku could see the guilt in Sora's eyes, but saw nothing in the other.

_Ventus is going to be difficult to deal with..._

They had spent the entire day clearing the area and searching for any sign of Xion.

_Something isn't right,_ Riku thought as he knelt to the ground.

"She had to leave some sort of trail eventually. Why can't I find a single clue?" he whispered to himself.

When the sun went down, Riku called it.

"We're done for the day. We'll look again tomorrow. Sora, you will take the second shift tonight. Ventus, you will take the last. Get some sleep. We leave early tomorrow."

Riku jumped into a nearby tree and scanned the area. Nothing. A flag raised inside his head. When it came time for Sora's shift, he jumped down and woke him up.

"Any sign of her?" he asked. Riku replied with a shake of his head.

Sora sighed and went to a nearby tree. He jumped all the way to the top and looked around.

"It's going to be a long night," he muttered to himself.

xXxXx

Roxas stared out of the tinted window. Questions plagued his mind every minute of the day. With Axel gone, it was harder for him to keep sane. The redhead made sure to keep him busy to stop doubting everything.

He focused on his reflection from the window. His body was losing body fat, not that he had much to begin with.

"I'm back!" Axel yelled through the door. Roxas turned around and frowned.

"Took you long enough. What have you been doing?" he asked.

The redhead rolled his eyes.

"I brought you a friend. I had to go pick her up today," Axel said as he pulled a girl from behind the wall. The girl had a blank look under her short black hair.

"Roxas, this is Xion. It's been a while since she's been back here, but she'll _wake up_ in a few hours. She too can use a Keyblade and is very proficient in it actually. Unfortunately, the boss is sending me on a recon errand. I'll see ya!" he said as he left Xion standing at the door.

Roxas walked over and sat the girl down on the bed. She said nothing; just stared.

_That look...I had that same look on my first day here. What is this place and what is it doing to us?_

"I'm Roxas," he said in a quiet voice. She slowly looked up at him without a word. He felt uncomfortable sitting on the bed with her staring at him. Roxas went back to the window and looked around. Darkness covered everything.

A knock came at the door. Roxas turned to see Xemnas smiling at him.

"I see you've met one of our other veterans, Xion. She's a very talented young lady. When Axel returns, you three will leave the Castle for a few days. I'll tell you more about it later, but right now we must train."

Roxas nodded and followed his leader out of the room with cautious eyes.

_I will find out what you're planning._

xXxXx

Ventus glared at the sleeping boy.

"Don't think I didn't see you kiss the captain the other day. You were always the one trying to get noticed. Teachers kept talking about how great you were with the Keyblade. What about the rest of us? I bet you just saved me just to gain the respect of Riku. You're such a schmoozer."

"You're one to talk," Riku whispered.

Ventus spun around to see the captain leaned against a tree trunk. Riku stood straight and put his hand on Ventus' shoulder.

"I know what you did for Sora years ago. I also know everyone in the academy was talking about how great of a soldier you'd be."

Ventus scoffed.

"Yeah, no one knew about that, Captain. I saved Sora from getting consumed by a Heartless and not a single soul said a word to me."

"No, but you shouldn't feel that way about saving your own brother."

Ventus paused and looked down at Sora.

"So, you know? How long?"

"Since that day the Neoshadows appeared. I didn't want to say anything because it didn't look like you wanted him to know."

Ventus nodded.

"He was always the perfect child. Our parents adored him up until the very end. When they died that day, we were separated. We had a class every once in a while, but he couldn't remember. When he didn't know, I knew the Heartless got a hold of some of his heart. That's why I joined...so I could get it back for him. Then I noticed how much higher his scores were over mine. I noticed how all the teachers started to talk about how great he was even the Aqua clearly had him beat."

Riku laughed.

"You do know Aqua was an undercover student, right? She's there to boost the motivation and confidence. She did a great job for most of the students. She's been with us for years. Every year they select a soldier to go undercover. Anyway, you shouldn't have been so selective about listening to topics about Sora. We all talked about you too. Actually everyone in my squad was recommended for the elite team."

"Why didn't we get to go?"

Riku looked up at the stars and frowned.

"I stopped them. After evaluating all of you, I knew you would all be too valuable for the Scouts to be sent out in the first round. Turns out we had to go anyway, but that team died in the second mission. I knew you two were brothers and thought you might say something to him. Why say something as you're about to die? It's pointless. You should tell him soon. You never know what will happen. As for the jealousy, it needs to stop. It's put my team at high risk. You've got your own fighting style, figure it out. He has his. To be honest, he doesn't even really have a primary ability. He has to rely on his duel wielding," Riku said as he walked away.

Ventus watched as Riku laid down and went to sleep. He watched his younger brother sleep.

_Damn...I am a selfish brat. What would mom and dad say?_

Ventus had one hour left when Riku relieved him.

"I'll take the last hour. I need to patrol the area anyway."

Ventus thanked him and instantly fell asleep.

Riku walked through the trees and looked around. Long silver hair flowed from a man behind him.

"You're late," the older man said.

Riku smirked.

"I usually am, Xehanort. Why are you sending your weak ones out?" Riku asked.

Xehanort clenched his teeth.

"Unfortunately, after you slayed the Darkside, I didn't want to risk my entire army being taken out. So, I've just used little Shadows."

Riku nodded and asked, "So, what was with the Invisible you sent after half the Scouts?"

Xehanort chuckled.

"Just to make sure you know your place in this war, Riku. Another force is coming. They call themselves 'Nobodies' and I believe they're the ones kidnapping my poor pets."

"Nobodies huh? I think I can take them out. After that, I'll give you the boy."

Xehanort's eyebrow went up.

"So, what was with that kiss?"

Riku turned around and scoffed.

"It's my role, Xehanort. The more trust I can get from that boy, the easier it'll be to lure him out. I just have to find a way to get him alone, but I don't think that's too difficult. However, we can't do any of that with the Nobodies around. Keep your big guys away from us while we scout the area to find their hideout."

"Just making sure you aren't developing feelings for the boy. I need to take my leave. Find their hideout, Riku, or I'll take you out."

Riku nodded.

_Trust me, Xehanort, I will._

* * *

**End Note: **I may be putting this one on hiatus for another story I've been working on D=


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